Page 1 of 3
Regular Session, 2013 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 5
BY SENATOR BROOME
A RESOLUTION
To authorize and direct the Department of Education to study and evaluate the
implementation of state law regarding required physical activity in public schools
and its effectiveness in combating obesity and to submit a written report to the
Senate Select Committee on Women and Children.
WHEREAS, R.S. 17:17.1 requires certain physical activity in schools; and
WHEREAS, each public school that includes any of the grades kindergarten through
eight is to provide at least thirty minutes each school day of quality moderate to vigorous
physical activity for students, and no later than September first of each year, each public
elementary school is to report to its local public school board on compliance, with the local
public school board reporting to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education no
later than October first; and
WHEREAS, suitably adapted physical activity is to be included as part of the
individual education plans for students with chronic health problems, other disabling
conditions, or other special needs that preclude participation in regular physical activity; and
WHEREAS, any student not enrolled in a physical education course at a public
secondary school is encouraged to participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity
commensurate with the ability of the student for a minimum of thirty minutes per day to
develop good health, physical fitness, and improve motor coordination and physical skills;
and
WHEREAS, an outreach and communication plan consisting of current information
and research on health, nutrition, and physical education and fitness issues is to be developed
pursuant to the collaborative efforts of the Department of Health and Hospitals; Department
of Education; Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Pennington Biomedical
Research Center; Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports; Louisiana Council on
Obesity Prevention and Management; Louisiana Association of Physical Education,
Recreation and Dance; and the American Heart Association; and SR NO. 5 ENROLLED
Page 2 of 3
WHEREAS, the outreach and communication plan is to be disseminated to each local
public school board and made available to parents and students; and
WHEREAS, each local public school board is to establish a school health advisory
council to advise the board on physical activity for students, physical and health education,
nutrition, and overall student health so that:
(1) The council may advise the board on issues relative to compliance with school
vending machine restrictions, use of physical fitness assessment results, and school recess
policies.
(2) The council members are to be appointed by the school board and include
parents of students and individuals representing the community, all serving without
compensation; and
WHEREAS, there is a recognized need for targeted intervention strategies that
address and produce sustained results among African-American children battling obesity and
that reduce childhood obesity by the development of and the support of sustainable programs
to combat childhood obesity; and
WHEREAS, there is a need to determine the degree of implementation of the state
law regarding required physical activity in public schools and its effectiveness in combating
obesity.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Department of Education is hereby
authorized and directed to study and evaluate the implementation of state law regarding
required physical activity in public schools and its effectiveness in combating obesity.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education shall submit a
written report to the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children, on or before
December 31, 2013, of its findings as to whether or not public schools, local public school
boards, and the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education are complying with the
reporting requirement of RS 17:17.1; the degree and extent that public schools are actually
implementing the required physical activity requirement; whether the development of the
outreach and communication plan has occurred and whether or not it has been distributed
to local public school boards and made available to parents and students; and whether or not
each local public school board has established a school health advisory council; the makeup SR NO. 5 ENROLLED
Page 3 of 3
of each health advisory council; whether the health advisory councils are meeting; and what
recommendations the health advisory councils have made to their local public school boards
over the last five years.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Select Committee on Women and Children
hold a public meeting before March 1, 2014, on the report submitted by the Department of
Education.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
state superintendent of education.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE